Moses: Die zehn Gebote

I had high hopes when I bought this. Who knows, Burt Lancaster is not just any actor. But oh, was I wrong. Even though you have to consider the time (1974) when there were no blue screen and visual effects departments like in these days, the editor did a bad job. Beside that there more flaws. Simple things like 2 different baby's Moses... and the biggest question: where did the director get the story from? You don't have to believe in the Bible to watch this movie, but even then, the whole movie is based on things that are pure imagination of the director but have nothing to do with any of the biblical stories, or even Jewish tradition. It was a huge disappointment, and I advise everyone if they want to see a good movie, and closer to reality, to watch the movie classic the Ten Commandments.

This was evidently made to go more into details about the Moses case than was possible in "The Ten Commandments" of 1956, which remains the best Moses film. For this version Anthony Burgess among other writers were consulted to make deeper research into the problems, which results in a much more interesting and controversial picture of Moses with his more debatable sides and complexities such as his cruelty and intolerance. We did not see much of Aaron in "The Ten Commandments" while he is here lifted forth to great advantage, convincingly played by Anthony Quayle, showing both his merits and weaknesses. After all, Burt Lancaster gives a sympathetic interpretation of Moses, which completes the efforts of Charlton Heston, who was only convincing and interesting as the prince and fugitive from Egypt. Best, however, is Laurent Terzieff as Pharaoh Mernephta, who is presented as a very conciliatory and human ruler placed in a very delicate and tough spot, - although he is historically entirely wrong. Mernephtah succeeded Ramses II at 66 years of age and did not rule very long, while he is here presented as a very delicate young man. It is more probable that Ramses was the pharaoh who had to deal with Moses, but that's the only flaw of the film, to which Ennio Morricone had great pains in making suitable music. The Red Sea sequence is as always the highlight of the drama, no film can fail in making that a great spectacle, and here is even included Miriam's celebrations afterward, which adds to the films many deserts.

Spectacular story produced by Italian RAI television with all-star-cast such as Burt Lancaster as Moses , Anthony Quayle as Aaron , Ingrid Thulin as Miriam , Irene Papas as Zipporah and narrated by Richard Johnson . Biblical and evocative tale that deals with Moses , the Hebrew lawgiver . Evocative adaptation about known story , it recounts the greatest Bible story ever told , a journey through the Holy Land that focuses Moses (Burt Lancaster, great appearance as the liberator of the Israelites, forever typecast him as the sort for epics , along with Charlton Heston) , the Hebrew leader , leading the Jews out of Egypt and realized in Italian style . This is the wonderful story about an extraordinary man receiving a holy calling , and follows his life from birth , abandonment , slavery and trials in leading the Jews ; this is the greatest event in epic motion picture history . Biblical story developed in on a great scale though no such as the classic Cecil B. De Mille's version . An Egyptian prince named Moses (Bill Lancaster , Burt's son) who is adopted and brought up in the court by an Egyptian princess (Mariangela Melato) and learns of his identity as a Hebrew and later his destiny to become the chosen deliverer of his people . This vivid storytelling although fairly standard follows appropriately the Moses'life , the son of a Jew slave , from birth and abandonment on a basket over river Nile , as when the Pharaoh ordered the killing of all newborn babies , being pick up by Egyptian princesses and he's raised in the royal court , becoming into Prince of Egypt . One time grown-up Moses (Bill Lancaster as Young Moses) embarks a supernatural mission , as the Egyptian Prince , learns of his true heritage as a Hebrew and his divine mission as the deliverer of his people , getting the freedom for Hebrews . When his Hebrew origin is revealed , Moses is cast out of Egypt , and makes his way across the desert . Then , Moses retires out of Egypt where meets Jethro , marring him with his daughter Sefora . The stoic Moses along with his brothers Aaron (Anthony Quayle) and Miriam (Ingrid Thulin) confront Pharaoh Mernefta (Laurent Terzieff). Moses asks Pharaoh to liberate them but he refuses, causing the Egyptian plagues : invasion of locusts , fogs , epidemic , water become in blood and death of the first-born . As Moses instructs the slaves to put lamb's blood above their doors for protection and in the night , the angel of death comes , and passes over the protected doors . In the homes of the Egyptians where there is no protective sign , the angel kills off the first born children of Egypt, including Pharaoh' son . Moses goes to his brother after this , and is given permission to take the Jews . Moses takes charge of God's people and wrests them from Pharaoh's punishing grip . Moses like liberator of the Jewish leads his people throughout desert battling enemies and with holy intervention . Finally , Moses climbs the Mount of Sinai bringing the holy tablets , meanwhile Jewish people worshipping the golden calf .

This is a monumental TV version of the Biblic book of ¨Exodus ¨ with production design carried out in utter conviction and passable special effects professionally made by the great Mario Bava , including the parting of the Red Sea ; in spite of the time effects still look acceptable . The production team formed by Sir Lew Grade and Vincenzo Labella conferred with roughly experts to make the film as accurate as possible and ample participation by various screenwriters as Vittorio Bonicelli , Anthony Burgess , Bernardino Zapponi and the same director Gianfranco De Bosio . Obviously changes were made to the story to make it work as a Biblical feature , in fact , there is a short list of differences between the movie and the Biblic account of the Exodus . Serious acting by veteran Burt Lancaster who plays a sober Moses. Just as Charlton Heston's son Fraser played the infant Moses in Ten commandments (1956), Burt Lancaster's son Bill (as William) plays Moses as a young man . Secondary cast is frankly good , such as Ingrid Thulin , Marina Berti , Jacques Herlin , Umberto Raho , Simonetta Stefanelli , Michele Placido , Paul L. Smith , Mariangela Melato , among others . Glamorous and luxurious costume design by Enrico Sabbatini . Colorful cinematography by Marcello Gatti , being necessary a right remastering ; filmed on location in Morocco and Negev desert , Israel . Special mention to sensitive musical score by maestro Ennio Morricone , including an enjoyable leitmotif . This movie was the most expensive Italian TV series ever made at the time . However , watching in TV it makes lost most really spectacular scenarios on the small screen . The picture professionally directed by Gianfranco De Bossio is suitable for family viewing and religious people.

Other adaptations told in compactly form about this biblical story are the followings : classic mute (1923) by Cecil B. DeMille with Theodore Roberts , Charles Rochefort ; the second handling and the greatest , made in a gargantuan scale by Cecil B. DeMille (1956) played by Charlton Heston , Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter , Debra Paget , John Derek , Edward G. Robinson and Vincent Price . Furthermore , a new take on titled ¨In the beginning¨ (2000) by Kevin Connor with Billy Campbell as Moses , Christopher Lee as Seti and Art Malik as Rameses ; animated rendition (1998) titled ¨Prince of Egypt¨ produced by Dreamworks and directed by Simon Welles . And television rendition (2006) by Robert Dornhelm with Dougray Scott , Susan Lynch , Naveen Andrews , Paul Rhys , Omar Sharif , Linus Roache , among others

To be fair to this biopic of the man who led the Jews from Pharaonic rule in Egypt to the land of Milk and Honey, there has been some serious effort put into the writing. It is less archaic than much of the original biblical text, but it does still manage to convey something of the gravitas of that tome - especially when delivered by Burt Lancaster in the title role. Now true, at times he does over-egg it on the earnestness front, especially towards the end, but for the most part he holds this together remarkably well. He is helped along by the equally rousing oratory of Sir Anthony Quayle who takes on the role of high priest Aaron and by a solid effort from Ingrid Thulin as Miriam. Sadly, though, these three cannot really compensate for the sluggish pace of the whole thing, nor the really pretty lacklustre supporting cast. That's probably best exemplified by Laurent Terzieff's weak performance as the Pharoah, but Mariangela Melato doesn't fare so very much better as Moses's adopted mother Bithia. It doesn't compare at all well with DeMille's "Ten Commandments" (1956) on the lavishness front, but I think it might outdo it on the authenticity front when they travel through the desert eking out an existence from the scraps they can find amongst the brush. It also goes some way to illustrating that all was not always sweetness and light amongst the tribes; that temptation was never far from many a mind and that, as many people may have found from reading the book of Exodus, their lord God wasn't always the easiest deity to keep sweet! This simply hadn't the budget nor Gianfranco De Bosio the imagination or vision to create something compelling to watch. It does have it's moments - thought the parting of the Red Sea maybe isn't one of them - but it needed a more robust and characterful cast to support the leads and much more succinct and focussed direction.

Conceived as mini-series this overlong picture has a valuable attributes, it was rather accurate according the old testament and was shot on location, however when I saw lavish The Ten Commandments of 1955 then there isn't any kind of collating such large gap of strength, thus unbeatable, whatever was the aspect, it's in another pattern.

Moses is plain and cheap as is easily be seen naturally along the picture, gross sets, poorest garments, scarce props, also the special effects done by the master Mario Bava is amiss, due the low budge and so on, in other hand a great foreigner supporting casting, Burt Lancaster portrays a great Moses, in historical background is untouchable and this way we shall be evaluate the movie itself and behold in this point of view.

Measure the great efforts to shot on location on a dry land with inappropriate sternly weather conditions at desert, sands, winds, in this specific point the assignment was fully accomplished, as a few numbers of votes this one is still unknown for the majority of IMDB's users, I saw it for the first time in early 1992 and now on DVD without any restoration, maybe never will be, sadly!!!

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First watch: 1992 / How many: 3 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 6.5.